A large crowd attended the ceremony for the new track and field at Vashon High School last Friday night, where district and project officials heralded the revitalized facility as being for students and community members alike, and former track coach Russ Brazill cut the ribbon before the football team ran onto the field.

It was a lively scene, with a tailgate party going on in the school courtyard before the game, cheerleaders lined up at the entrance to the stadium as supporters filed in and the marching band playing in the stands and on the field.

Vashon-Maury islands in turf at center field (Kent Phelan Photo)

School board chair Zabette Macomber addressed the crowd first, noting that many have wanted a new track and field for more than 20 years. She thanked several people for helping it become a reality, including former Superintendent Michael Soltman, who was not able to attend the festivities, and project manager Brandy Fox, who led the project to completion on time and on budget. Macomber was the first speaker to stress that the facilities are for the district’s students, but not only for them.

“It is for the entire community to use,” she said.

Fox also addressed the crowd, thanking many people involved with the project, including Athletic Director Andy Sears, members of the district’s business office and the school’s maintenance staff for working tirelessly throughout the summer to see the project through. For further accolades, she singled out Kyle Behla, foreman, and Damon Anderson, operator, of Premier Field Development, noting that they had stayed on the island during the week throughout the summer and put in a tremendous effort to complete the project.

“For all of us who were involved, it was an honor to be part of this,” she said.

Fox also told the crowd a bit about the new facility — facts not readily available to the eye. The field’s infill is sand and cork; the surface of the track is rubberized, and the facility drains into a detention system that encircles the field and is filled with local pea gravel from Vashon’s Cal Portland.

Vashon High School Principal Danny Rock pointed out the newly erected flag pole nearby. It was a gift from the 1984 Olympic Committee to K2, which made the skis Phil and Steve Mahre won Olymic gold and silver medals on. More recently, the new owners of K2, Brad Middling and Mike Kirkland, donated the flagpole to the high school.

Brazill, a longtime track and field coach at the high school, took his turn at center stage and recounted some stories about the old track, including how there would frequently be ankle-deep water covering the inside (or more) lanes, that the long jump and pole vault area was paved with asphalt — a hard surface that can lead to injuries, while the high jump area was, “grass and mud and whatever.” In the 1980s and 1990s, some schools started to balk at having track meets on Vashon and would not let their top athletes compete here. Approximately a decade ago, the Nisqually League deemed Vashon’s track unsafe, and since then there have been no home track meets.

The new track - with some work still to do, lanes will be painted in the coming weeks. (Kent Phelan Photo)

This year, that will change, he said, with three home track meets scheduled at VHS, as well as the Nisqually Championship meet.

“That’s what it means to us. It will mean a lot to you guys, too,” he told the audience.

He also shared that Orting used to have a track similar to Vashon’s old one, and when it was replaced, the turnout for track and field doubled. Foster was the same way, he said. With its old track, it did not have enough people for a relay team. And then with a new track in place, it became a powerhouse in the league, drawing “50,60, 70 kids.”

As he has before, he noted that kids of any body type or ability can participate in track and field.

“There is something there for all of them,” he said.

The new facility is not quite finished, but is expected to be completed by mid-October, Fox said. The Vashon Park District will schedule access to the field for community groups, such as the club soccer teams, which will be able to begin practicing there in a few weeks. It may be a little bit longer for broader community use, she said, but that will likely be available by the end of October. All individual users will need to stop by the district business office for a personal card key and agree to follow the rules. More information on that will be forthcoming closer to the full public opening.

“What we want is for the whole island to be taking care of this field, “ Fox said.